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Please Don’t Banish Jesus From Alcoholics Anonymous
THE STREAM ^ | 06/26/2023 | Mark Judge

Posted on 06/26/2023 9:17:59 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

A couple years ago I noticed a trend in meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous. The meeting was no longer ending with the Lord’s Prayer.

For more than 30 years every meeting I attended ended the same way — with the “Our Father,” then the Serenity Prayer, then the chant of “Keep Coming Back, It Works if You Work It!”

Suddenly, meetings were going straight to the Serenity Prayer and then the final pep chant. The “Our Father” was gone. This seems to be part of a larger trend. As reported in the Daily Mail, one group was censured for saying the prayer:

An Alcoholics Anonymous group is under threat after being censured for reciting the Lord’s Prayer at the start of meetings.

The group in Somerset was told by leaders it had become too Christian-focused and has been removed from the organization’s online directory.

But John Palmer, treasurer of the group in Yeovil, pointed out that the AA was started in the 1930s by Christians and that it adopted and popularized the Serenity Prayer, which is recited at the end of meetings across the world. ‘It’s a ridiculous decision,’ said Mr. Palmer. ‘They’ve removed us from the “Find a meeting” section of the AA website which will prevent new members from finding us. In other words, we’re being shut down.’

A Thirst for Union With God

It has taken me a while to admit this, mostly because I am so reluctant to criticize a fellowship that saved my life when I stopped drinking over three decades ago. But the elimination of the “Our Father” does in fact bother me. Not only because I believe Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, but because Christianity played a crucial role in the formation of AA.

(Excerpt) Read more at stream.org ...


TOPICS: Moral Issues; Prayer; Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS: alcoholics; alcoholism; god; jesus
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1 posted on 06/26/2023 9:17:59 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

AA has its origins in the evangelical Christian Oxford Group. In fact, AA co-founder Bill Wilson credits the Oxford Group for the methodology of AA: “their large emphasis upon the principles of self-survey, confession, restitution, and the giving of oneself in service to others.”

Even before the Oxford Group was the Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung. Wilson wrote to Jung in 1961 to express his “great appreciation” for his efforts. “A certain conversation you once had with one of your patients, a Mr. Rowland H. back in the early 1930’s,” Wilson wrote, “did play a critical role in the founding of our Fellowship.”


2 posted on 06/26/2023 9:18:37 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

I didn’t know Jesus was a drunk.


3 posted on 06/26/2023 9:19:41 PM PDT by DIRTYSECRET (e allowed )
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To: SeekAndFind
GloboHomo Uber Alles...
4 posted on 06/26/2023 9:20:18 PM PDT by kiryandil (China Joe and Paycheck Hunter - the Chink in America's defenses)
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To: SeekAndFind

AA has gone the way of the YMCA and YWCA.

They dropped the Christian Association from their organizations years ago. They now just go by “The Y”.


5 posted on 06/26/2023 9:23:16 PM PDT by Responsibility2nd
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To: DIRTYSECRET

“I didn’t know Jesus was a drunk.”

I don’t know if he was or not, probably not if Pharisees didn’t drive him to drink.

but on the other hand we know that they and the moneychangers did drive him to violence.

and we also know he could change water into wine so ?


6 posted on 06/26/2023 9:24:27 PM PDT by algore
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To: SeekAndFind

This is disturbing news...
I hope it isn’t a national concession to the devil.


7 posted on 06/26/2023 9:33:32 PM PDT by No!
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To: DIRTYSECRET
I didn’t know Jesus was a drunk.

A gratuitously nasty remark.

8 posted on 06/26/2023 9:35:34 PM PDT by Angelino97
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To: Responsibility2nd

The Left destroys everything. It will be the end of AA

A close relative has attended for 40 years. Was a drunk and hell-raiser as a young man before AA, now by the Grace of God has been dry all these years.

I’ve met his past sponsors, the new members he sponsors, friends made there, attended anniversary meetings, etc...so I’m very familiar

These people succeeded only because they gained humility and self-awareness from surrendering their egos to Jesus Christ.


9 posted on 06/26/2023 9:41:46 PM PDT by PGR88
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To: SeekAndFind
Stable Diffusion would disagree


10 posted on 06/26/2023 9:56:18 PM PDT by montag813
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To: SeekAndFind

Interesting. My sister was in AA for years, met her terrific husband there. I was in Adult Children of Alcoholics. I attended a few AA meetings when my sister was the speaker, and I don’t remember anyone saying the Lord’s Prayer,. But that was many years ago and I may have just forgotten,.


11 posted on 06/26/2023 9:58:13 PM PDT by Veto! (FJB Sucks Rocks)
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To: DIRTYSECRET

You should’ve added the sarcasm alert.


12 posted on 06/26/2023 10:21:53 PM PDT by No name given (Anonymous is who you’ll know me as)
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To: DIRTYSECRET

there was a foreign movie called “the last hangover”

I was amused, but then I also had a hangover the next day


13 posted on 06/26/2023 10:30:09 PM PDT by algore
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To: SeekAndFind

Judge is breaking anonymity, which is not good for the fellowship.


14 posted on 06/26/2023 10:32:33 PM PDT by golux
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To: DIRTYSECRET

Noah was the first alcoholic. (Gen 9:20-29)


15 posted on 06/26/2023 10:38:43 PM PDT by atomic_dog
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A couple years ago …
A couple of years ago.

No, it is not snobbish to expect proper grammar of those who presume to teach us.
16 posted on 06/26/2023 11:28:26 PM PDT by Olog-hai ("No Republican, no matter how liberal, is going to woo a Democratic vote." -- Ronald Reagan, 1960)
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To: atomic_dog

No; it only said he got drunk.

Alcoholics do not typically drink to get drunk.


17 posted on 06/26/2023 11:28:59 PM PDT by Olog-hai ("No Republican, no matter how liberal, is going to woo a Democratic vote." -- Ronald Reagan, 1960)
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To: DIRTYSECRET

No, but he was falsely accused of being one. (Matthew 11:19 and Luke 7:34)


18 posted on 06/26/2023 11:30:43 PM PDT by Olog-hai ("No Republican, no matter how liberal, is going to woo a Democratic vote." -- Ronald Reagan, 1960)
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But the elimination of the “Our Father” does in fact bother me. Not only because I believe Jesus is the way, the truth and the life …
Oh boy.
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

— John 14:6

No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

— John 6:44
Nothing wrong with a couple (of) omissions, right?
19 posted on 06/26/2023 11:36:44 PM PDT by Olog-hai ("No Republican, no matter how liberal, is going to woo a Democratic vote." -- Ronald Reagan, 1960)
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To: SeekAndFind

All part of the left’s plan to eradicate any mention of God from life or society.

What they don’t realize is that SOMETHING will come in to fill the vacuum and that something is NEVER good.


20 posted on 06/27/2023 12:52:13 AM PDT by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!)
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